Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiologic agent of Chagas disease. It is a flagellate protozoan that can be found in a large variety of mammals and triatomines. The biodiversity of the state of Rondonia, located in the Western Amazon, is constantly modified by man's transforming actions, which results in an unbalance that can facilitate the transmission of many pathogens. A great variety and quantity of native palms trees, especially the Babassu, as well as mammals and triatomines, can be found in the local ecosystem. In this survey, triatomine fauna was identified in 225 dissected Babassus, which were extra domiciled. In addition, peri-domiciled and intra-domiciled captures were done. Seroprevalence ocurrence of Chagas disease and identification of T. cruzi in the digestive tract of triatomines was performed. Positivity to T. cruzi was verified in 23.7% of the 652 triatomines collected from the Babassus. These triatomines belong to the Rhodnius genus and were classified into 4 species: R. robustus, R. prolixus, R. pictipes and R. milesi. In intra-domiciled captures, ten specimens of Rhodnius robustus and one of Panstrongilus geniculatus were found. Three per cent of the population was positive to Chagas disease. In the area surveyed, there is potential for endemic transmission of Chagas disease due to the large quantity of triatomines and to the high infection frequency of these triatomines. Nonetheless, this study did not provide evidence of the occurrence of endemic transmission at the present.
Trypanosoma cruzi; Epidemiology; Rondonia; Triatomines; Chagas disease
